The Best Friend

by Shalini Boland

  Nicole shoved her brother and nodded towards his trouser area, her eyes wide and expectant. Cal knew better than to disobey her. He’d be in for it if he said no. Nicole’s smile widened as Callum positioned himself over Derek’s body and peed for all he was worth. A yellow arc spattered Derek’s school uniform. Callum got creative, gyrating and making swirling patterns.

  ‘Get his head, too,’ Nicole said, giggling.

  Callum moved around and let the last few drips soak into Derek’s mousy hair. The boy was crying now. Served him right. He wouldn’t mess with her brother again, that was for sure.

  ‘Now kick him,’ Nicole said.

  ‘What?’ Cal said.

  ‘Go on. He kicked you. So you can kick him back. It’s fair.’

  Callum gave Derek a gentle kick on his thigh.

  ‘Not like that, like this.’ Nicole aimed a vicious kick on Derek’s side, making him howl in pain.

  Callum stared up at her and shook his head. ‘I don’t wanna, Nic.’

  ‘Do it,’ she hissed.

  Callum kicked Derek in exactly the same spot. Derek sobbed.

  ‘Again,’ Nicole said.

  Callum kicked him again.

  ‘No one messes with me or my brother,’ Nicole hissed. ‘No one.’

  Chapter Twenty One

  2016

  The sky is a sheet of grey hanging thick and heavy with unshed raindrops. It meets the darker sea in a blurred line out on the horizon. Seagulls drop and rise, buffeted and thrown about by the gusting wind. My hair whips around my face and I tug my woollen hat down more firmly, protecting my ears from the piercing cold as I walk along the empty beach.

  Now that I’ve aired my fears with Jared, I don’t feel quite so alone. And, while I still think he’s sceptical, at least now he understands why I’ve been so upset these past few days. At least he won’t be going out running with her anymore. That’s something.

  I love being on the beach out of season. Having it all to myself as the waves break over soft sand and broken shells. Like I’m the last person on earth. It’s not very often I get to have this feeling of space. Yet the sense of freedom is fleeting. I check my watch. It will soon be time to pick up Joe from school. My stomach clenches as I realise Darcy will be there.

  ‘Louisa!’

  It sounds like someone’s calling my name. It’s hard to tell over the crash of the waves and the roar of the wind. I turn to see a dark figure waving in the distance. Squinting, I make out a man heading my way. Fear grips me for a moment as I flash back to memories of my stalker. But I see now that it’s a more familiar figure. He breaks into a jog and I walk to meet him.

  ‘Louisa, I thought it was you.’

  ‘Hi, Mike.’ He looks awful, his face gaunt, stubble grazing his chin and upper lip. I’m not sure what to say to him.

  ‘How are you?’ he asks.

  ‘Fine. Just blowing the cobwebs away before I go and pick Joe up from school.’

  He glances at his watch. ‘Oh, yes, I guess it’s that time. Are you going there now?’

  I nod.

  ‘Shame,’ he says. ‘I was going to suggest a coffee.’

  ‘That would’ve been lovely,’ I say. ‘But I really have to go.’

  ‘How’s Darcy?’ he blurts out, his face taut, distressed.

  ‘Darcy?’ I let out a breath. ‘Still pretty upset I think. She misses you, Mike.’

  ‘Really?’ His eyes light up, which I find pretty odd considering he walked out on her.

  ‘Do you think . . .’ he begins. ‘Do you think she might . . . take me back?’

  I frown, confused. ‘I thought you wanted a divorce?’

  ‘What! A divorce? No. Why on earth would you think that?’

  ‘Darcy said you asked for a divorce. I’m sure she did.’

  ‘You must have got that wrong. I’m losing my mind here, Louisa. She kicked me out of the house with no explanation. She won’t see me. She won’t even let me see Tyler.’ His voice cracks and I can see how much it’s costing him to not break down in front of me.

  I put a hand on his arm. ‘Mike, she told me you walked out on her. She was devastated.’

  His eyes cloud with confusion. ‘But―’

  ‘Mike, I’m really sorry, I have to go and get Joe. I can’t be late for pick up.’

  ‘Of course, of course. But you must be mistaken. I would never leave Darcy. She’s the one who wanted me to go.’

  I don’t know what to say. This is a completely different version of events to the one Darcy told me. So one of them must be lying, and I know who I’m inclined to believe.

  ‘Can we meet later?’ he asks. ‘Will you come over to my place?’

  I open my mouth to think of an excuse. I really don’t want to get in the middle of this.

  ‘Please,’ he says, sensing my reluctance. ‘I’m desperate here. Just for half-an-hour or so.’

  I nod. ‘Okay.’

  Mike takes a business card out of his wallet and scribbles an address on the back. ‘I’ll be in all evening. Here’s where I’m staying. My mobile’s on the front.’ He presses it into my hand with a squeeze. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Okay. See you later,’ I say with a tight-lipped smile, wishing I’d never agreed to it.

  I head back to the beach car park at a brisk pace, knowing I’m going to be late for Joe. Even so, I have to call Jared to let him know what’s happened. I stop for a moment to rummage through my bag for my phone. My bag swings back in the wind, tipping my purse, keys and hand gel into the sand. I scrabble about, picking them back up and end up dumping half the beach back into my bag. Finally, I locate my phone in my coat pocket and call my husband.

  He picks up his mobile after one ring.

  ‘Hey,’ he says. ‘Everything okay?’

  ‘You’ll never guess who I just bumped into?’ I say as I jog up the sandy steps onto the promenade.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Mike.’

  ‘Darcy’s Mike? Did he say anything about Create? About the lease?’

  ‘No, but he did say something pretty weird.’ I tell him what Mike said about Darcy kicking him out, and not the other way around.

  ‘That’s odd,’ he says. ‘Why would Mike lie about something like that?’

  ‘That’s if he is lying,’ I say. ‘Maybe she’s the one who lied.’

  ‘But Darcy was so upset when he left,’ Jared says. ‘You saw her. No one can fake that kind of hurt.’

  ‘Mike was shocked when I suggested he’d left Darcy. You didn’t see him. And when I said Darcy was devastated when he left, he looked so hopeful, like he really wanted to get back with her.’

  ‘So, maybe it was all some massive misunderstanding,’ Jared says. ‘Look, Lou, sorry, but I can’t talk about this now. I’m about to go into a meeting.’

  ‘Sure, okay, I’ve got to get Joe anyway. I just wanted to let you know tha―’

  ‘I’ve really got to go. We’ll talk later, okay? Love you.’

  ‘Okay, love you, too.’ I end the call with an uneasy feeling. This whole situation is weird. Why would Darcy lie about Mike leaving her? It makes no sense.

  * * *

  School is only a ten-minute drive from the beach, but there are absolutely no parking spaces anywhere in the vicinity of the gates, so I drive round and round the block, my hands clenching the steering wheel, my breaths coming short and fast. Reproaching myself for not getting here sooner. By the time I eventually find a space, it takes me five attempts to parallel park, and I’m sure the workmen across the road are sniggering at my poor attempts to shoehorn myself into the tiny space. Finally, with sweat gathering at my neck and my heart pumping, I exit the car and race the two and a half blocks to school, my knee groaning in agony.

  Turns out I needn’t have worried – Mrs Landry and several of the other teachers are late out today, and the playground is still crowded with parents. I stand at the edge getting my breath back, trying not to catch anyone’s eye. I don’t feel like talking. But luck isn’
t on my side.

  ‘Hey.’

  It’s Darcy. I manage a limp smile.

  ‘Your face is really red,’ she says. ‘You okay?’

  ‘I thought I was late for pick up. I had to run.’

  ‘No, they’ll be a while yet. Wasn’t it lovely. Joe was so funny.’

  I’m not sure what she’s talking about. ‘Sorry? What?’

  ‘The Year 3 assembly this afternoon. Just now. Oh, but you just got here so you mustn’t have watched it.’

  ‘The assembly was today?’ My heart sinks. ‘I thought it was next week.’

  ‘Oh,’ she sticks out her bottom lip. ‘Did you get the wrong date? Personally, I can’t live without a wall planner. If I don’t write it on there, it doesn’t happen. You should really get one.’

  I grit my teeth, gutted that I missed Joe’s assembly. With everything going on, I totally forgot. And yet, I still had time for a walk on the beach. I feel like a totally shit mother. At least there’s one thing I can do to help Joe.

  ‘Actually, Darcy, while you’re here, I wanted a quick word with you about Joe and Tyler.’

  She raises an eyebrow.

  ‘It’s a bit awkward, but Joe says Tyler’s been pinching him, and also getting him into trouble with the teacher. Would you mind having a little chat with him? And of course, if Joe’s done anything to―’

  ‘Actually,’ she says, her eyes narrowing, ‘I wasn’t going to mention it, but Tyler has been saying the exact same thing about Joe. So maybe you might want to have a little word with him.’

  I’m taken aback by her sudden and barely concealed rage. ‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t realise. Of course―’

  ‘It’s okay,’ she says, smoothing away her anger, ‘boys will be boys. I would certainly appreciate you speaking to Joe about it. Tyler’s not usually one to tell tales, so this must really have upset him.’

  I don’t believe for a minute that Joe’s been hurting Tyler. It’s just not in his nature, but I’ll pretend to take her concerns seriously if it means she’ll also have a word with her son.

  ‘Great,’ I say. ‘So if we both have a word with them, hopefully, they can go back to being friends again.’

  Darcy gives me a perfunctory smile, which makes me doubt she’s going to mention anything to Tyler. Fine. If he hurts Joe again, I’ll just have to go direct to his teacher.

  ‘I bumped into Mike this afternoon,’ I say, hoping what he said might put her in a better mood.

  Darcy’s face leaches of colour for a moment. ‘You saw Mike?’

  I nod. ‘I think you might have got things wrong, Darcy. He said he wants you back.’ Maybe this is the news she’s been waiting for. The news that will make her happier.

  ‘Mike said that? To you?’

  I nod. ‘He asked me to pop over to his place this evening – just for a quick chat. If you want me to pass on a message, or put in a good word for you?’

  ‘You’re going to see my husband?’ she says, her voice icy.

  ‘He seemed so upset, Darcy. I think he really wants to get back with you. That’s good news isn’t it?’

  ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about, Louisa,’ she hisses. ‘And if you don’t mind, I’d rather you stayed out of my business.’

  I can’t believe she’s telling me to stay out of her business.

  ‘Oh,’ she adds, tilting her head, ‘and I take it you’re the one behind Jared telling me he’s “too busy” to run anymore. I thought you were my friend. After everything I’ve done for you. I didn’t realise you could be such a bitch.’

  ‘What!’ My mouth falls open and I shake my head. ‘I’m not . . . I’m only trying to―’

  ‘Just leave my husband alone, Louisa!’ Her voice is so loud that some of the other parents and teachers turn to look from Darcy to me. Darcy now has tears in her eyes and I don’t believe for one minute that they’re genuine. This display is purely to make me look bad in front of everyone.

  ‘Darcy,’ I say, through gritted teeth. ‘I’m just trying to help―’

  ‘Like hell. First, your son starts bullying Tyler,’ she cries, ‘and now you’re sneaking around with my husband. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I need you to leave me and my family alone!’

  Heat floods my cheeks and I glance about for a friendly face. All I’m met with is embarrassed glances, confusion and open hostility.

  ‘Darce, are you okay?’ A petite lady with a designer puppy in her arms steps over to Darcy with concern in her eyes.

  Darcy chokes back a sob and nods. ‘I’ll be fine,’ she says, bringing her hands up to her face.

  Yet more people approach her, and she’s soon swept away in a secure cocoon of sympathetic parents, leaving me standing alone in the fading light on the edge of the playground. My mouth hangs open, confusion and anger clouding my mind. Her bright hair swings as she lurches away from me, gradually surrounded by a gaggle of reassuring mums. They shoot dark looks my way, throwing their arms around Darcy’s hunched shoulders as they lean in with comforting words.

  What the hell just happened?

  Chapter Twenty Two

  I’m sitting on the sofa in the lounge hugging my knees to my chest. The curtains are drawn. A moth hurls itself at the table lamp which is doing its best to cast a comforting glow, but I’m too shaken up to feel anywhere near comfortable. There’s a hard knot in my stomach and a lump in my throat as I mentally play back the events of this afternoon.

  After standing awkwardly in the playground for what seemed like forever, enduring the stares and whispers of the other parents, Joe’s class finally came out. I collected him in a shocked daze, barely able to focus on any of his excited chatter about his class assembly. Thankfully, Joe didn’t seem to be upset that I hadn’t been in the audience. Somehow, I got him home. I remember very little about the journey back, my emotions wildly swinging between distress and anger. I’m only thankful I didn’t crash the car.

  I managed to get him into bed early tonight. Now, I’m waiting for Jared to get home so I can tell him about my awful experience with Darcy today. At least I know it’s not me being paranoid anymore. She’s unhinged. She’s a liar. And she’s been trying to destroy my life for weeks. I should have listened to my gut right from the start. The question is, why? Why has she been gunning for me all this time? Did I do something wrong? Did I offend her in some way? Is she a deranged person who behaves like this with everyone? Or, am I missing something?

  I’m really not sure I should go over to Mike’s this evening. I think it would probably be better if I just stayed the hell away from all the Lanes. I’m seriously considering pulling Joe out of Cerne Manor and putting him back in his old school. How can I walk back into that playground when all the mums think I’m some kind of husband-stealer? The looks on their faces this afternoon . . . it was awful.

  The radiators hiss and the pipes gurgle. The house is warm, yet my hands and feet are icy cold. I cross my arms and slot my hands under my armpits to try to defrost them. Jared’s key turns in the lock but I don’t move from the sofa. I don’t want our evening to be marred by another conversation about Darcy. And yet I have to tell my husband what happened. I need his support in this.

  ‘Hey?’ Jared calls. The front door bangs and his keys land with a clatter on the hall table.

  ‘In here!’ I call, hearing the listless tone in my voice.

  His head pops around the door. ‘Hey.’

  ‘Hi.’

  ‘How you doing?’

  ‘Not great.’

  His face falls. ‘Why? What’s the matter?’

  ‘Give you three guesses.’

  ‘Not something to do with Darcy.’ He gives the slightest of eye rolls, and I guess I can’t blame him. Everything these days seems to be about that woman.

  ‘Sorry, yes it is,’ I reply.

  ‘I’m starving. Let me grab something to eat,’ he says, ‘and then you can tell me.’

  With some difficulty, I peel myself off the sofa and follow him
into the kitchen. ‘There are jacket potatoes in the oven,’ I say, ‘but they won’t be ready for another twenty minutes.’

  ‘I’ll just have a cheese cracker or something in the meantime,’ he says, his brow creased, his mouth a hard line. He’s obviously pissed off that he’s come home to another Darcy drama, but what am I supposed to do? It’s not my fault I have a psycho friend trying to hack apart my life.

  I sit at the table as Jared pulls a beer from the fridge, and loads a plate with crackers, sliced cheese and salad. He pops the bottle cap and takes a long swig.

  ‘How was work today?’ I ask.

  ‘Good,’ he replies.

  ‘Everything going as planned? Are you getting the business in?’

  He nods and leans back against the fridge for a moment, eyes closed. Then, he slides into the chair opposite me.

  Okay, this isn’t going well. He’s not happy. What should I do? Should I not tell him what happened today? Ignore it and pretend everything’s fine.

  ‘So?’ he finally says, his eyes open again. ‘What’s happened?’

  I tell him about the playground incident. About Darcy making out that I’m going after her husband, and about her accusing Joe of bullying Tyler when it’s clearly the other way around. I tell him about Darcy raising her voice so that all the other mums now hate me.

  Jared shakes his head, and I can’t tell whether he’s annoyed with Darcy’s behaviour, or annoyed that I’m talking about her, yet again.

  ‘Are you pissed off or something?’ I ask. ‘I could really do with some support about now.’

  ‘Just tired, Lou.’

  ‘Sorry,’ I say, not sounding sorry at all. ‘I hate loading all this on you, but don’t you think she’s totally out of order?’

  ‘Yes,’ he says wearily. ‘Yes. It sounds like you had a horrible afternoon. What made her say those things, anyway? Did you say anything? Something that could have provoked her?’

  ‘No,’ I reply. ‘Well, I told her about bumping into Mike, and that he asked me to go over there―’

  ‘Well, there you go,’ he says. ‘She’s going through a breakup, Louisa. You telling her that you’re going to see her husband probably isn’t going to make her feel great.’